Digital Natives/digital immigrants

DIGITAL NATIVES OR DIGITAL IMMIGRANTS

Oh how I can relate since starting this course I am a true immigrant whilst my kids (aged 8 & 9) whiz around the computer and my husband is also an immigrant but much more keen to be integrated into this country. The article by Prensky (2001) suggesting that learners are either digital natives or digital immigrants made me think about how I might be as a teacher using technologies considering that I have been fairly resistant preferring to stick with what I know as it is sooo much easier! How does that apply I wonder, when I would expect students to learn new stuff.

Using digital games to learn sounds like playing but like we all know children learn best through play (adults too maybe) and my 9 year old (and his friends) does know all the Pokemon names, moves, evolutions and so on and I never have to encourage him to play however homework is another matter. However homework where he has to conduct experiments no problems or actually do something other than sit and write he is fine.

It is also interesting our accent (mine is very thick) my son takes over when I am trying to do something on the computer (or wii or DS) because he gets so frustrated watching me bumble my way around. I also want to take over from him when he is doing a task that he is fumbling around on.

However technology is not used much in our primary school - the kids have computer time and that's about it. I wonder where it will head?

There is a gap though as we know from those who promote play based/experiential learning `hands on' experience teaches us is many ways and the experience cannot be replicated by the digitalised world. Making, doing, problem solving and experimenting can be done on the computer/games but not with all our senses stimulated. (reference) And the experience embedded into our being. Even though my son and his mates love playing DS and all other manner of games they also love playing outside; making stuff up and narrating their own stories and creating challenges and then solving them often to much laughter.

ENGAGE OR RAGE

I think it is a little narrow minded to classify students into the three groups (say I with limited experience and no research) Those students who are a `pleasure to teach' can also be highly involved in the digital world and some of those who are a 'night mare' to teach may have lots of learning difficulties and not be at all engaged in anything, and then there are those students who come from homes that are totally unsupportive of learning in any form - those students for whom getting to school itself is a major achievement. Also there is the issue of too many children/not enough teachers to engage all students all the time; how does a teacher cater to the individual needs of 25 or 30 students all of whom come from varying backgrounds? I have seen remarkable results from `drop out' high school kids who couldn't barely read flourish in a less formal school environment (High School's Flexi learning centre). So maybe technology and digital age is one way to engage some children but there are other issues at stake here as well.

The general assumption/assertion that primary aged kids (or younger) are computer savvy in having multiple email addresss' connecting with their friends etc seems odd to me and I have no personal experience of it. My children would much rather have their friends play with them and the more the merrier. Also many of the kids disengaging in my experience do not have the computer/digital technologies at home; often coming from homes that cannot afford the technologies.